Humidifier



Sept- 7, 1943 F. A. FURLONG 2,328,538

HUMIDIFIER Filed July 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l {Q -WW Inventor Fwzcz'sf2. Furia@ Sept. 7, 1943.

F. A. FURLONG 2,328,538

HUMIDIFIER Filed July 14, 1941 1 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1943HUMIDIFIER Francis A. Furlong, River Forest, Ill., assigner to AutogasCompany, oi Illinois Chicago, Ill., a corporation Application July 14,1941, Serial No. 402,287

7 Claims.

This invention relates to humidiiiers and more particularly to devicesfor regulating the humidity of living spaces in rooms or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide ahumidler for usewitha heating plant having a duct for conducting heated air to the space inwhich operation of the humidifier is controlled in accordance with thetemperature of the duct. This insures that humidity will be dischargedinto the duct at a time when there is a iiow of heated air therethrough,so that the humidity will be carried properly throughout the livingspace, and so that condensation of water in the duct will be prevented.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic View with parts in section of a heating plantinstallation including a humidifier embodying 'the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the control valve of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section of the control valve; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the humidiiier with the casingremoved.

The humidiner itself is of the same general type as those moreparticularly described and claimed ln the co-pending applications ofFurlong and Penfold, Serial No. 319,228, iiled February 16, 1940, andSerial No. 356,270, iiled September 11, 1940. As shown in Figure 4l, thehumidifier comprises a tank having an enlarged upper portion l and areduced lower portion I2, connected by a horizontal wall lil, andadapted to contain water above the wall M substantially at the levelshown. Water in the tank is heated by heating means shown as comprisinga gas burner I8, insulated from the reduced portion i2 of the tank anddischarging heated vapor against the horizontal wall i4. A heatingjacket I8 conducts the lvapor around one side of the tank to a iiue pipe'29.

Gas is supplied to the burner lll through a pipe 22 controlled by amanual shut-ofi valve 24, and by a safety valve 2li, normally urgedclosed by a spring and held open by a bimetal strip 23 responsive to theheat of the burner. When the burner is in operation, the strip 2B willbe deflected te open the valve 2F, but ii the burner should accidentlybc extinguished, the strip 28 will cool, allowing the valve to close.

Water is admitted to the tank through a pipe 30 discharging into a standpipe 32 arranged beside the tank and communicating therewith atthebottom of the reduced lower portion I2. Outlet of Water from the pipeBtl is controlled by a bi-metal strip 34 which, when cooled, closes 'theend of the pipe 3i. in order to heat the'strip 34, an angle section ofpipe 35 is extended from the stand pipe 32! into the tank and terminatesina downwardly facing end substantially at the desired water level. Whenthe water drops below the open end of the pipe 355, vapor from the tankwill flo-w thro-ugh this pipe to heat the strip 34, thereby admittingadditional water to the tank to raise the level sufficiently to closethe end of the pipe According to one feature of the present invention,flow or" vapor through the pipe 38 when the water level is below theopen end thereof is insured by maintaining a predetermined minimum vaporpressure in the tank. For this purpose, the tank is provided with avapor outlet 32 extending upwardly from the upper end thereof and havinga weighted disc it held in place by guides 2, normally seated en theupper end of the outlet pipe 38. Ii the pressure in the tank is belowthe value predetermined by the weight and size of the disc (lil, thisdisc will remain closed and all vapor generated will now out through thepipe 36. .As the vapor pressure increases, the disc 4i) will be unseated'to allow the low of vapor through the outlet 38.

In order to prevent the accumulation of scale or slime in the tank suchas to prevent or interfere with proper operation, the tank is adapted tobe drained periodically. This may be accomplished by means of a manuallyoperated valve 44 connected to the lower end of the stand pipe 32, butis preferably carried out automatically at predetermined time intervalsby an ejector 46 communicating with the stand pipe 32 and the lower tankportion l2. The ejector discharges into a drain pipe 43 extending abovethe level of water in the tank a sufficient distance to preventaccidental overiiowso that water will flow therethrough only when theejector is operated. The ejector receives water through a conduit 50which communicates also with a spray nozzle 52 arranged in the upperpart of the tank. A restricted orifice 5d limits the quantity of Waterflowing to the spray nozzle and insures an adequate supply o-f water tooperate the ejector. The supply oi water to the spray nozzle and theejector is controlled by a valve 5S operated by an electric motor 58.The motor 58 is preferably energized periodically for a predeterminedtime interval by a clock mechanism il controlling the circuit through amercury switch which energizes the motor 58. In this way, the valve 5Sis opened periodically to withdraw water from the tank by operation ofthe injector and at the same time to wash out the tank by operation ofthe spray mechanism 52.

It will be noted that when the valve 55 is opened and the ejector isoperating, the water level will be reduced b-elow the open end of thepipe 36. At the same time, however, the spray mechanism is spraying coldwater into the tank so as to prevent the formation of vapor therein,thereby preventing opening oi the thermostatic Valve 34. To insure aminimum supply of water `in the tank for starting of the water supplymechanism after a iiushing and draining operation, a wall 64 is providedadjacent one end of the horizontal bottom iii to hold a minimum supplyof water thereon.

Figure 1 illustrates the installation of a humidifier of the type justdescribed in connection with a warm air furnace, including a fire pot 6Edischarging through a flue and surrounded by a jacket lll. A cold airreturn duct l2 supplies air to the lower portion of the jacket and warmair flows from the upper end oi the jacket through ducts 'lf3communicating with registers 16 in the floor i8 oi the space 'to beheated. W'hile onev conventional type of warm air furnace has beenillustrated, it will be understood that the invention can be applied towarm air furnaces of any desired type.

The humidifier mechanism is enclosed in a casing 8i) arranged adjacentthe furnace and communicating through a conduit 82 with one of the ducts14. The casing is provided with a series oi louvres or openings 8d toprovide for the admission of air thereto, the air being heated in itsfiow around the tank and mixing with vapor discharged from the outlet88, the mixture of air and vapor flowing through the conduit 82 into theduct.

Water is supplied to the humidifier from any suitable source, such asthe usual city water mains, through a pipe Sli, and gas is supplied tothe burner iii through a pipe 88, the supply oi gas to the burner I6being controlled by a` valve mechanism, indicated generally at d,mounted on the duct lf3 so as to be responsive to the temperaturethereof. The valve mechanism as best seen in Figures 2 and 3, comprisesa body formed with an inlet passage El? and an outlet passage 94, havinga valve dii arranged therebetween and normally seated by a spring "i-hevalve has a stem projecting downwardly therethrough into the open lowerportion oi the casing on which the casing ilts over the duct, andresting on one end of a lever ldd adjustably supported at its oppositeend on a screw H22. By adjusting the screw ifi?, the initial seating ofthe valve may be changed so as to make it responsive to differenttemperatures,

The valve is controlled by a loi-metal strip ldd, rigidly supported atone end in the casing and at its opposite end engaging an enlargedportion it on the lever itil. As the strip tot is heated, it deectsupwardly, as seen in Figure 3, to open the valve, When the valve isclosed, a predetermined minimum amount of iuel is Icy-passed through anadjustable by-pass idd to maintain the burner in a low stage ofoperation.

In use, with the apparatus installed as shown, when the furnace isoperating and the temperature of the duct is above that for which thevalve is adjusted, the valve 96 will be opened to admit a maximum supplyof fuel to the burner I6. At this time, the water in the tank will beCil vaporized rapidly and will be supplied to the living space throughthe conduit 82 and the duct 14. When the furnace is out of operation oroperating at a very low rate, such that the duct 14 is cooled below thetemperature for which the valve is set, the strip lfl deflectsdownwardly, permitting the valve E36 to close, so that only a minimumquantity of fuel flowing through the by-pass IBS will be supplied to theburner. This will operate the burner at a low rate such as to maintainthe water heated substantially to the boiling point without causing anymaterial discharge of vapor through the conduit S2. Ihus vapor issupplied only at times when an adequate supply of Warm air is flowingthrough the duct 14 to carry the vapor properly into the room and whenthe duct is sufficiently warm to prevent condensation of vapor therein.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and describedin detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and isnot to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination, a heating plant including means for heating air and aduct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidifiercomprising a casing, means in the casing to vaporize water, a conduitfor conducting the vaporized water to said duct, means to supplyoperating power to said vaporizing means, and control means for saidsupply means responsive to the temperature in said duct to reduce thesupply of operating power to the vaporizing means when the temperaturein said duct is below a predetermined degree.

2. In combination', a heating plant including means for heating air anda duct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidiercomprising a casing, a tank in said casing adapted to contain water,heating means in the casing to heat said tank thereby to vaporize watertherein, a conduit for conducting the vaporized water to said duct,means for supplying heat energy to said heating means, and control meansfor the supplying means responsive to the temperature in said duct toreduce the supply of heat energy when the duct is below a predeterminedtemperature.

3. In combination, a heating plant including means for heating air and aduct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidifiercomprising a casing, a tank in said casing adapted to contain water, afluid iuel burner in the casing to heat said tank, thereby to vaporizethe water therein, a conduit for conducting the vaporized water to saidduct, a conduit for supplying iluid fuel to said burner, a valve in saidfuel conduit, and a thermostat responsive to the temperature of saidduct to control said valve.

4. In combination, a heating plant including means for heating air and aduct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidifiercomprising a casing, a tank in said casing adapted to contain water, afluid fuel burner in the casing to heat said tank thereby to vaporizethe water therein, a conduit for conducting the vaporized water to saidduct, a conduit for supplying iiuid iuel to said burner, a valve in saidfuel conduit, means forming a restricted by-pass around the valve toprovide a minimum fuel supply to the burner, and a thermostat responsiveto the temperature of the duct to close the valve when the temperaturefalls below a predetermined minimum and to open the valve when thetemperature exceeds said minimum.

5. In combination, a. heating plant including means for heating air anda duct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidifiercomprising a casing, a tank in said casing adapted to contain water,heating means in the casing to heat the tank to vaporize water therein,said casing having an air inlet opening therein to admit air to mix withthe vaporized water, a conduit for conducting the mixture of air andwater Vapor to the duct, means for supplying heat energy to the heatingmeans, and control means responsive to the duct temperature to con trolsaid last named means.

6. In combination, a heating plant including means for heating air and aduct for conducting heated air to a space to be heated, a humidifiercomprising a casing, a tank in said casing adapted to contain Water, aheater in the casing to heat the tank to vaporize water therein, a pipein the tank to conduct vapor therefrom when the water therein fallsbelow a predetermined level, means controlled by iiow of vapor throughsaid pipe to control admission of water to the tank, said tank having avapor outlet in its upper portion, a conduit to conduct vapor from saidoutlet to the duct, means for supplying heat energy to said heatingmeans, and control means responsive to the duct temperature to controlsaid last named means.

7. In combination with a heating system including a heating unit forheating air, a duct for conducting heated air from the unit to a spaceto be heated and a return duct for conducting air from the space to theunit, a humidi- Iier comprising a tank adapted to contain water, meansto heat the water in the tank to vaporize it, a conduit to conduct thevapor to one of the ducts to mix with air flowing therethrough, andcontrol means for the heating means responsive to the temperature of theair in the rst named duct to decrease the heat supply when the airtemperature falls below a predetermined minimum.

FRANCIS A. FURLON G.

